The good thing for the rest of the continent is that ideas are contagious. In the four decades between 1960 and 2000, the number of coup attempts remained remarkably consistent at. Writing in 2015, ntomba suggested that military coups in africa are slowly going out of fashion. The term military rule as used here is synonymous with military regime and refers to a subtype of authoritarian regime. Civilian control and military effectiveness in south. He found that around half of the countries in the world have experienced military coups between the 1950s and the presenta very large number.
From this background, onwumechili makes readers appreciate that modern african armies are deviant. Onwumechili provides an exciting perspective on african military coups and reminds us that democracy is not synonymous solely with western societies. The impact of military coup detat on political development in nigeria olorungbemi simeon toyin ph. This is a chronological list of coups and coup attempts, from ancient times to the present. The beginning of the end of military coups in africa the. Africa is more than just the worlds second largest continent. Successful coups are recorded in red, failed coups in blue. Home master of military art and science theses impact of military coups detat on west africas socioeconomic and political development. Africa and south america seem to have been particularly prone to coups, for. While both countries have created comprehensive frameworks for civilian control after their democratization in the 1990s, the setup and performance of oversight. The number of military coups and coup attempts since 1950 currently stands at around 530, an astonishing number. In total, 23 african countries have seen at least three coups. Prior to the july 2016 attempted military coup in turkey only one attempted coup has taken place in europe since 2000 in abkhazia in. Military coups in africathe african neocolonialism.
During the last 50 years,5 coups have been most common in africa 36. Africa s wars since the late nineteenth century can be differentiated in terms of their causal factors and dynamics, spatial scales and locations, temporal scope and duration, composition of perpetrators and combatants, military equipment and engagements deployed, impacts on military and. Moreover, growing military power displaces and absorbs other u. The impact of military coup detat on political development. The military history of africa is one of the oldest military histories in the world. Nov 16, 2017 only 14around a quarterof africas 54 countries are yet to experience a military coup. Looking at south africa and ghana, this chapter compares two cases of relative success in regard to democratization and the establishment of civilian control in subsaharan africa. The only criticism i have has to do with typographical errors which may even tarnish the authors reputation especially as an academic author, although this is not his fault, as. Zimbabwes military takeover was the worlds strangest coup. Types of african governments, 1989 above to fill in the types on the political map of africa, for each country in africa in 1989.
Ghanaian writer elizabeth ohene tackles the issue of military coups for the bbc and says ecowas, a west african regional group that works toward. Armies have been analysed in terms of their social and ethnic composition, training, ideology, and socialising influences. Burkina fasos military has overthrown the interim government in a coup that has plunged the capital city, ouagadougou, into panic. To what extent can african military coups be explained by environmental socio economicpolitical culture factors. If you glance at the map, there seem to be regional clusters of coups. Military rule, political regime in which the military as an organization holds a preponderance of power.
Pdf redistribution and military coups researchgate. The structural sources of military coups in postcolonial. Explaining african military coups detat, 19601982 thomash. As the 20th century began, most of africa, with the exception of ethiopia, somalia and liberia. Zimbabwe joins 40 african countries that have had coups quartz africa. Since the years of independence, africa has experienced more than 200 military coups, counting both successful and failed coup attempts. Understanding african armies european union institute for security.
The army and the people levels of trust in the army 53. Coups have been present for a long time and africa, particularly west africa, is no stranger to these bloody affairs. In postcolonial africa, the military coup has in effect become the institu tionalized method for changing governments. The researcher assumes that the trend of military coups and instability in west africa is far from declining. This map catalogs every coup attempt since 2000 whether successful or not.
It has become something of a popular trope in the media to point out that attempted and successful coups in africa have been less frequent since the end of the cold war, but as this detailed data set shows, coups are only slightly less common and successful post1991 than they were before. Growth of military statesas late as 1961 the african image had not been tarnished to any great extent by the incidence of military coups. D student of political science at the department of political science university of ibadan ibadan, nigeria abstract the military is not by inclination trained to rule, but to defend. Only 14around a quarterof africa s 54 countries are yet to experience a military coup. He examines democracies in traditional africa and shows how these socieites clearly defined and limited the roles of traditional african armies. Military coups were once common pdf as a means to seize power, with both mbasogo and museveni entering their presidencies this way. It started with a military coup detat that took place on july 23, 1952, by a group of young army officers who named themselves the free officers movement. An ability to explain the conditions that prompt coups and perhaps thereby to predict their occurrence would greatly contribute to our understanding of the dominant mode of governmental change in black africa. Which african countries have never witnessed a military coup. In 1952, the egyptian revolution known as the july 23 revolution began.
The coup is often described as postmodern in turkey as no military force was actually used. It happened just three weeks before the country was due to. Why has postcolonial africa been so vulnerable to military coups. Africa and the barrack revolts by ebenezer babatope between 1952 and 1981 there were no less than thirtyone coups or military takeovers in africa, thirty of which took place between 1963 and 1981. Dry, desert conditions exist to the north and tropical conditions exist to the south.
Africas leaders for life council on foreign relations. Statistical evidence shows pcks can explain variance in patterns of military coups, civil wars, and ethnic representation at both the country and ethnic grouplevel. Minerals, diamonds, or oil are also extracted in varying amounts in west africa. Military coups in africathe african neocolonialism that. Precolonial kingdoms and the coup civil war nexus in subsaharan africa jack paine december 15, 2014. He concluded that just three factors underpinned military coups and the likelihood of their occurrence. The successful coup in cote divoire in 1998 began a cycle of political instability that has ruined a country once seen as the jewel of africa. Pdf this paper explores the link between redistribution and coups, typically overlooked in the coup. Indeed, only 14around a quarterof africa s 54 countries are yet to experience a military coup. Since 2000 there have been successful coups in the central african republic and togo, and failed coups in sao tome, principe and equatorial guinea. One of the, many promises given by the military when they take over the government is points earned.
Coups remain frequent in subsaharan africa and coups are the main threat to democracy in the region, by harming democratic consolidation and economic development, and by provoking further political instability. Africas wars since the late nineteenth century can be differentiated in terms of their causal factors and dynamics, spatial scales and locations, temporal scope and duration, composition of perpetrators and combatants, military equipment and engagements deployed, impacts on military and. Africa has had some ninety military coups since 1963, and many rulers believe that their political survival depends on emphasizing military loyalty at the expense of capability. Ghanaian writer elizabeth ohene tackles the issue of military coups for the bbc and says ecowas, a. For most of human history, attaching military to rule would have been. Mutinies in kenya, uganda, and tanganyika and military and society in east africa. Coups detat, 19462015 list of coups and coup attempts 19462015, by the center for systemic peace. In 12 of those 40 countries, coups occurred within five years of gaining independence.
It might not yet be the end of military coup detats in africa but coup plotters are sure to be challenged from many fronts. By 1984 africa had experienced these many military coups in. Military coup in algeria cancels elections and forces president to resign. Africa is a continent of many regions with diverse populations speaking hundreds of different languages and practicing an array of cultures and religions. Elections and coups in sierra leone, 1967 the journal of. In total, africa has experienced at least 200 coup attempts since the 1960s with some being successful.
Salah ould henena, abderrahmane ould mini, mohammed ould cheikhna, mohammed ould salek 15 mauritania 8 10 2004 3 knights of change 0 mauritania 8 3 2005 1 col. August 2005 centre for the study of african economies, department of economics, university of oxford. Explaining african military coups detat, 19601982 thomas. Since 2000 there have been 62 coup attempts across the world and 23 successful coups.
Apr 17, 2012 why are there so many coups in west africa. The main economic activity in the region is subsistence agriculture. Precolonial kingdoms and the coupcivil war nexus in sub. Five of the most famous african coups egyptian revolution.
This map has been updated to include the attempted coup in turkey on 1516 july 2016. Military intrusion in african politics, usually in a coup, is one of the hurdles facing. The 2003 guineabissau coup detat was the bloodless military coup that took place in. Indeed, a field study tour conducted in 1960 1 the year of independence as it has been called to investigate the place of the armed forces in societies in africa did not provide the evidence on which to forecast the eventual spate of coups. Most coup attempts took place in africa, although there have also been a number of coups in asia and centralsouth america. Coups in the world, 1950present database on coups and coup attempts 1950present, by jonathan powell and clayton thyne. In the four decades between 1960 and 2000, the number of coup attempts remained remarkably consistent at around 40. Pdf explaining african military coups detat, 19601982. Top 20 most brutal and ruthless dictators in africa african. Understanding african armies rapporteurs david chuter florence gaub with contributions from. Military coups see beginning of their end in africa huffpost. Although turkey is mostly in asia, it is also generally considered to be partly in europe.
In terms of continents, coups were most prevalent in africa, followed by latin america. However, military coups are a regular occurrence in only of the 44. Map of coups since 2000 including 2016 turkey coup attempt. Analysing the tumultuous spread of democracy across africa in the decades. When your map work is completed, each country should be identified by one of the four types of government identified on the table. These differences have also been the source of much conflict since a millennia. We tend to have a very specific notion of a military coup. The following table established by adekeye adebajo and ismail rashid 2004 depicts the number of military coups in west africa along with the number of years of military rule since the postcolonial era.
The impact of military coups detat on west africas socioeconomic and political development, by maj. The following table established by adekeye adebajo and ismail rashid 2004 depicts the number of military coups in west africa along with the number of years of military. In the past several years there has been a proliferation of studies on coup detats in africa and the political role of african military structures. List of coups detat and coup attempts by country wikipedia. Crisis in mali congressional research service 1 overview and recent developments for the past year, mali has been mired in overlapping security, political, and humanitarian crises. After malis government was overthrown in a military coup in march 2012, insurgents.
A coup detat, often abbreviated to coup, is the overthrow of a government by nondemocratic means. Military coups are likely to remain a feature of the africa political landscape, even if at a reduced rate. Military coups and military regimes in africa by samuel decalo in the past several years there has been a proliferation of studies on coup detats in africa and the political role of african military structures. Are military coups detat a neverending phenomenon african. By 1984, africa had experienced these many military coups in 30 countries a 25 b 100 c 35 d 70 points earned. Frequent military coups against the post colonial regimes. The african unions chequered history with military coups. This page provides access to the ongoing data project i have with clayton thyne, as well as a more general overview of basic aspects of the data. Coups detat in africa, 19462004 country month day year success leaders deaths mauritania 6 8 2003 2 maj. Examination of the different types of military interventions plots. Military coups and military regimes in africa scientia.
Military coups in africa the african neocolonialism that is selfinflicted author major jimmi wangome, kenya army csc 1985 subject area general executive summary title. Following the period from 19571960, when most countries in west africa broke loose from colonialism and became independent, the need for an integrated and classless. Stable civilian rule would require an elite pact to regulate political competition within multiethnic states. We define coups as illegal and overt attempts by the military or other elites within the state apparatus to unseat the sitting executive, and successes as episodes in which the perpetrators control. From the time of the egyptian revolution in 1950s, africa has experienced over ninety military coups, though a number of them have been unsuccessful. These forces are making it harder and harder to mount a successful military coup against a legitimate government. Military coups are largely driven by elite rivalries inside the military and the civilian government. Frances military is all over africa business insider. A look at the string of bizarre events that eschewed the playbook for military takeovers. While researchers have differed over the precise factors leading to coups and the level of their predictability, this paper shifts the focus to political and economic determinants, which have hitherto escaped. In democratic terms, the most explicit form of military intrusion in politics is the military coup detat the military execution of a sudden and unconstitutional change of government or regime. Most of west africa lies in the african transition zone, with portions north and south of the transitional region. Reality check looks back at sudans history of military interventions, and the wider picture across the african continent. Of those 54, 44 have experienced a military coup detat.
In the aftermath of the intervention by the military in zimbabwe that led to yesterdays resignation of president robert mugabe, there was a strong call from zimbabweans for the african union au and the southern african development community sadc to not get involved. The contributors to the military in african politics have divided the regimes into three categories or case studies. The more things change, the more they stay the same. View homework help africa eq5 from africa 220 at columbia college. Slater the orkand corporation patmcgowan arizona state university the purpose of this article is to contribute to the theoretical understanding of african military.
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